Chapter 224 - 129: The Panlong Great Halberd’s Ferocious Might; A Plan One Move Short

Chapter 224: Chapter 129: The Panlong Great Halberd’s Ferocious Might; A Plan One Move Short

The next instant, Yang Bijie passed through the Divine Wind and materialized above Chu River. He saw that Chu River had been struck by the Soul-Loss Demon-Cutting Saber, but before he could feel a flicker of joy, a look of resolve flashed across his eyes.

In a life-and-death duel, probing attacks weren’t about hesitation; they were about finding an opening for a single, thunderous strike. Now that the opportunity was here, Yang Bijie didn’t hesitate for a second. He let out a great roar—not a human cry, but the long, ringing cry of a dragon. A magnificent column of spiritual light shot into the sky, growing ever more brilliant as it rose. With a flash of radiance, a Panlong Great Halberd emerged from within.

By this point in the duel, the entire audience was watching with rapt attention, not daring to miss a single moment. The appearance of the halberd made them all hold their breath, their focus sharpening. Atop the Dragon Image Jade Platform, everyone’s spirits lifted.

This Panlong Halberd was a deadly treasure passed down by none other than the Dragon Image Sect’s Founding Ancestor Grandmaster. It was said to possess the power to sunder the heavens and split the earth. Of course, the Magical Power it consumed was equally terrifying; even Yang Bijie could only muster a single strike with it. Thus, as soon as the halberd appeared, the hearts of the Dragon Image Sect members leaped into their throats.

Meanwhile, atop the Jade Platform, a peculiar glint flashed in the eyes of the only cultivator from an outside sect, the Crane Robe Taoist. ’What a formidable magical artifact,’ he mused. His hand, however, unconsciously drifted to the Vermilion Gourd at his waist.

This man was, in fact, a corporeal projection dispatched by Xuzhuang as part of an agreement with the Dragon Image Sect. As a precaution, he had even brought the Taiyi Rainbow Sword with him.

Decades had passed since Xuzhuang had acquired the sword, yet in all that time, the Taiyi Rainbow Sword had never shown its master the slightest sign of affinity.

Xuzhuang had resigned himself to a long, patient process of slowly refining the treasure’s restrictions. But unexpectedly, at this very moment, he felt a flicker of excitement and joy from the Taiyi Rainbow Sword.

Xuzhuang placed his palm on the Vermilion Gourd that housed the Taiyi Rainbow Sword, but the sword’s excitement immediately subsided. Xuzhuang wasn’t annoyed; he was merely lost in thought.

Setting aside the reactions of the onlookers, Yang Bijie let out another great roar as the Panlong Great Halberd appeared. His entire reserve of Magical Power surged out of him like water from a burst dam, drained in an instant. A cold glint flashed across the halberd’s blade, and he brought it slashing down!

Chu River had yet to recover from the Soul-Loss Demon-Cutting Saber’s attack when the Panlong Halberd’s blade, descending with the force to split the heavens, was already upon his head. The bronze shield, which had failed to block the Saber, now shot upward to intercept the blow.

KRAK!

The moment they made contact, the bronze shield’s protective light shattered. With a series of sharp cracks, the artifact itself was hacked to pieces. It offered no protection whatsoever as the halberd’s blade continued its descent.

But in the brief instant the bronze shield bought him, Chu River snapped out of his stupor. Ignoring the ringing, stabbing pain in his skull, he roared. A column of brilliant light erupted from his Gangyun, rising as if to prop up the heavens. However, the moment it touched the Panlong Halberd’s blade, it shattered. Before Chu River could cast another technique, the Gangyun began to pour forth billowing yellow smoke, rising to meet the attack in another attempt to halt the blade with raw Magical Power.

However, this was a strike unleashed by Yang Bijie using all his Magical Power and his sect’s ultimate treasure; it was not a blow that could be so easily stopped. The halberd’s blade didn’t pause for even a moment in the yellow smoke before it sliced through Chu River.

As expected of the deadly magical artifact passed down by the Dragon Image True Man, the Panlong Halberd had shattered Chu River’s own artifact and his technique, yet still possessed enough power to deliver a killing blow. Despite this, upon seeing the result, Yang Bijie showed no sign of joy.

As the halberd’s blade flashed past, it instantly shredded the Magical Robe. A gruesome gash that nearly cleaved Chu River in two was revealed, but the blow had ultimately failed to cut him completely in half.

Chu River looked up, his eyes burning with such fury they seemed about to tear. He was momentarily paralyzed, but from the wound, thin wisps of yellow light were already emerging. They pulled and wove together, attempting to stitch the gash shut, but they were suppressed by the Panlong Halberd’s deadly, baleful energy and made little progress.

Clearly, the Panlong Halberd’s strike had not been enough to kill Chu River. Yang Bijie’s heart sank. Sensing his completely depleted Magical Power, he knew his best chance at victory was gone. He didn’t despair, however. Instead, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. While Chu River’s injury was still being suppressed by the baleful energy, he flipped his hand, produced a handful of pearl-like medicinal pills, and shoved them into his mouth, swallowing them whole.

Ordinarily, even pills specifically designed to restore Magical Power would require some time to be refined. Yet, the moment this handful of pills entered his stomach, Yang Bijie’s internal energy circulated, and an unnatural flush instantly spread across his face.

Yang Bijie ignored the internal sensation of his very life force being consumed. All he felt was a surge of Magical Power being forcefully generated, no matter the cost. With a single thought, he raised the Panlong Halberd’s blade once more and brought it down with savage force.

A tremor ran through Chu River’s eyes. He shifted his body, and the wound he had been struggling to suppress threatened to tear open again. Seeing the halberd’s blade about to strike, a bitter smile touched his lips. A jet of yellow smoke suddenly burst from his body and shot toward Yang Bijie with tremendous momentum.

The attack was sudden, and Yang Bijie’s Magical Power was once again spent, but he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he let out a long, loud laugh, allowing the billowing yellow smoke to strike him. At that same instant, the Panlong Halberd fell without mercy, slicing Chu River completely in two and extinguishing all signs of life.

In that instant, every cultivator in the arena gasped. As the yellow smoke dissipated, the figure of a Daoist with a Gangyun hovering over his head was revealed. Who else could it be but Chu River?

Compared to before, Chu River’s imposing figure seemed to have shrunk slightly, though the difference was negligible. In front of him, a paper effigy was fluttering to the ground. A moment later, a pale-faced Yang Bijie materialized a thousand feet away. Before Chu River could make a move, his voice drifted over, "Venerable Chu River, your Divine Techniques are truly impressive. I have lost this match."